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Originally Posted by Giggleton
Their librarians might be in a librarians union which among other things can prevent volunteers from performing services that librarians provide.
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Don't think this applies - certainly my local library is staffed almost entirely by volunteers now.
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Originally Posted by Giggleton
It certainly does feel that the essential functions of a library could be provided remotely via the network and some decent algorithms, or are they already provided thus?
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Some certainly are; mine offers a number of services online. As well as being able to take out and return ebooks, I can search the catalogue, reserve and renew pbooks and other formats, request items that the library doesn't stock, consult a number of reference sources. There's also a drop-box for returning items out of hours, and some libraries have a self-service checkout (which I never use, any more than the ones in supermarkets).
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Originally Posted by Giggleton
I wouldn't discount early morning storytime though, there's always going to be a need for that.
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How interesting - why early morning? I've only ever seen them being done here in the afternoon - usually fills in the gap between the little 'uns coming out of preschool and their siblings leaving 'big school'.